Arancini
Mozzarella and Red Pesto Arancini is so easily made in the Tefal ActiFry. Follow my step by step recipe on how to make arancini and you can't go wrong.
I made this a good while back for the Tefal Slimmers Secret Challenge since this is a far healthier way of making arancini as there's no deep-frying involved.

Serve with a lovely pepperonata sauce along with a few baby salad leaves.
What are Arancini balls made of?
Italian snacks consisting of a ball of rice coated with bread crumbs and then deep-fried and are a staple of Sicilian cuisine.
My ActiFry version is far better for you. The most common fillings are al ragù or al sugo, filled with ragù, mozzarella and/or caciocavallo cheese. I chose mozzarella and red pesto.
Now the red pesto was shop-bought otherwise this dish becomes a little too much faff so relieve yourself of too much faffing and buy a jar!
Just be sure to get a good brand. You can buy panko crumbs in the UK in any good supermarket or over at Amazon if you can't get them.It's a shame I haven't got a picture of the arancini when it was cut open since the filling is a gooey and oozy delicious thing to see and tastes amazing😊
How do you Pronounce Arancini? A-Ruhn-See-Ny
Anyway if you have a Tefal ActiFry and like Arancini then you really ought to give this a go.
Arancini Balls

Mozzarella and Red Pesto Arancini Tefal ActiFry Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 x Knorr chicken stock cubes - dissolved in 900 ml of boiling water
- 50g unsalted butter - cubed
- 1 medium-sized onion - finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic - peeled and very finely chopped
- 250g Arborio rice
- 40g Parmesan - grated
- Flat leaf parsley – enough to make 1 ½ tbs
- 100g buffalo mozzarella - cut into small cubes
- Jar of red pesto
- Plain Flour (approx. 100g)
- 2 large Free Range Eggs
- Panko Crumbs (approx. 150g)
- Frylight Sunflower Oil (spray bottle)
Instructions
- Add the butter and onions to the ActiFry and cook for 5 minutes.
- Now add the rice and garlic and set to cook for 2 minutes.
- Add 400ml hot stock and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add another 400ml and cook for a further 12-15 minutes.
- Check the rice is cooked. If needed add the remaining stock and cook for a further 4-5 minutes then stir in the chopped parsley and the Parmesan.
- Spread the risotto onto a tray and pop into the fridge to cool completely; takes about 15 minutes.
- Get a plate ready to put the Arancini rice balls onto once they are made.
- Line up 3 bowls: one for the flour, one for the egg and one for the panko crumbs.
- Wet your hands and take a small amount of the cold risotto and make a cup shape using your thumb to press down into your hand.
- Add a cube of Mozzarella and a small amount of pesto. Take another piece of rice and place on top to fill cover.
- Roll into a ball and set aside. Repeat to make each rice ball. Now roll each ball into the flour and coat well.
- Then roll into the egg and then coat in the panko crumbs.
- Remove the paddle from the ActiFry.
- Spray with oil taking care not to spray oil into the centre part of the ActiFry.
- Spray the Arancini balls with oil and pop them into the ActiFry.
- Cook 6 balls at a time for 6 minutes then carefully turn each one and cook for a further 5-6 minutes.
- Spray with a little more oil if you think they need it.
- Check the temperature so you know if the mozzarella inside has become molten (62 °C)
- Serve immediately or keep warm while you cook the rest.
Notes:
If you make the risotto the day before the recipe will be far easier since you need the risotto to be cold anyway to make the arancini.
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Jan